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Semester 1

Politics and Institutions of Contemporary France A (ELCF08009)

Subject

European Languages and Cultures - French

College

CAHSS

Credits

20

Normal Year Taken

2

Delivery Session Year

2023/2024

Pre-requisites

Course Summary

This course is intended to serve as an introduction to some of the major questions relating to the political and social systems of contemporary France. It covers a range of topics from the French political system to the concept of French universalism, and engages with some of the most important contemporary political debates shaping the Republic today.

Course Description

The course runs for 2 hours per week in Semester 1 and includes a 1-hour lecture followed by a 1-hour tutorial session. This course is intended to serve as an introduction to some of the major questions relating to the political and social systems of contemporary France. The course will focus initially upon the organisation and working of government and the role of political parties under the Fourth and Fifth Republics. A central theme here will be the democratic status of the Fifth Republic and its Constitution. The focus will then shift to a weekly thematic structure, where you will investigate different aspects of Republican thinking, the historical concerns and shifts in the major political parties, the role of social institutions, France's changing political position in a globalized world, and the status of specific social groups within French society. A major consideration here will be the extent to which public policy and social institutions contribute (or not) to a reduction of inequalities within contemporary French society and the evolving role of the state.

Assessment Information

Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

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